Dogs are your best friend. But even your best friend can occasionally hurt you. Sometimes things get out of control and between playful growls and tail wags, you can find yourself on the receiving end of a nasty bite. Worse than that you can be walking the street and be taken by surprise by somebody else’s dog. When this happens there are numerous considerations you need to make. Here are just a few.
Your health
Serious animal and human bites can get infected if they are not checked and treated quickly and effectively. You should always seek medical attention when you have been bitten, especially if the bite has broken the skin.
If you find you have been bitten by a dog, you should clean the wound immediately by running warm tap water over it for a couple of minutes. You should do this even if the skin does not appear broken. Remove any objects you can from the bite, such as teeth, hair, or dirt. Encourage the wound to bleed slightly by squeezing it unless it is already bleeding freely. If it is bleeding heavily then you should put a clean pad/sterile dressing over it. Then head over to the emergency services.
Legal advice
After you have made sure that you are okay then it is time to start gathering details in case you would like to pursue legal proceedings. It is important to identify the dog owner and the animal that bit you. This will help with the legal side of things and making sure you know which treatment you need at the hospital. A decent dog bite lawyer will need all of the information to begin creating your case.
If you were attacked by a dog that is owned by someone then you may be due compensation from the animal’s owner. This can come in especially handy if you need extensive medical attention. A picture of your injury can be a great advocate for any kind of legal case that you may begin. Over 1,000 Americans arrive in emergency rooms every day because of dog bites. So, it is more common than you may think.
Facial injuries can be much more devastating and trickier to solve however you should seek a plastic surgeon to deal with your scars. They are much more adept at making stitches and wounds look good. Plus, you can charge the dog’s owner for it.
What to do if it was your dog that bit you
After making sure that you are okay and following the procedures outlined by the medical professionals. If it happened during a dog fight, then it was likely an accident. You were in the wrong place at the wrong time when your dog was in an aggressive zone. It wasn’t a personal attack, and you probably won’t need to worry about a repeat incident.
You should not discipline your dog long after the fact. It won’t connect discipline after the fact. That means you should deal with the incident as soon as you can. If your dog does remember biting you then it may show signs of submission afterward such as ears, tail, and head down. If not then you should practice no talk, no-touch, and no eye contact for a while and remain calm.
However, if your dog begins to nip at you for no reason then you should consult your veterinarian first. It may be an indication of a hidden injury or a sign of pain. If there are no obvious medical reasons for your dog’s behavior, then you need to have a look at the events leading up to the biting incident. Did you try to take the dog’s favorite toy to get too near the food bowl while eating?
If this is the case, then you need to spend time working with your dog to eliminate budding aggression. You need to establish rules, boundaries, and limitations with your dog. If you are struggling with this, then you should contact a professional trainer to aid you.
Dog Bites
There is much to do after you have been bitten by a dog. You need to make sure that you are okay firstly. Clean and check your wound and you should seek medical assistance. After this, you can sort out any legal action that may proceed from the incident. You should gather as much evidence as you can about the dog that has bitten you. Whether they have had all of their shots and if they are carrying any diseases. Also, you should keep your mental health in mind. Make sure that you aren’t traumatized from the event and make sure that you are okay.
